"I'm afraid you'll have trouble in getting the boat back," he said. "It will make quite an interruption in your business."
"I don't know as I keer so much about that," said Ichabod Slocum, thoughtfully. "I've been thinkin' for some time about packin' up and goin' farther west. I've got a cousin in Oregon, and I reckon I might like to go out there for a year or two."
"Then, perhaps you might like to dispose of the boat, Mr. Slocum," said Bob, eagerly.
"Well, I might," said Ichabod Slocum, cautiously. "Do you know of anybody around here that wants a boat?"
"I might like it myself," was Bob's reply.
"What on airth does a boy like you want of a ferry-boat?" asked Slocum, in surprise.
"I have a plan in my head," said Bob; "and think it would be useful to me."
"There ain't no call for a ferry-boat here," said Ichabod.
"No; you are right there. I may as well tell you what I am thinking of. Our crop of grain is ready to harvest, and I should like to load it on this boat and carry it down to St. Louis and sell it there myself."
"Good!" said Mr. Slocum. "I like your pluck. Well, there's the boat. You can have it if you want it--for a fair price, of course."
"What do you call a fair price?" asked Bob.
"I don't mind sayin' that I bought it second-hand myself, and I've got good value out of it. I might sell it for--a hundred and twenty-five dollars."
"That may be cheap," he answered; "but I can't afford to pay so much money."
"You can sell it at St. Louis when you're through usin' it."
"You seem to be pretty good on a trade, for a boy. I reckon you'll sell it."
"Do you want all the money down. Mr. Slocum?"
"Well, I might wait for half of it, ef I think it's safe. What's your security?"
"We--that is, mother and I--own the ranch bordering on the other side of the creek. The wheat crop we are harvesting will probably amount to fourteen hundred bushels. I understand it is selling for two dollars a bushel or thereabouts." (This was soon after the war, when high prices prevailed for nearly all articles, including farm products.)
"I reckon you're safe, then," said Mr. Slocum. "Now we'll see if we can agree upon a price."
I will not follow Bob and Mr. Slocum in the bargaining that succeeded. The latter was the sharper of the two, but Bob felt obliged to reduce the price as much as possible, in view of the heavy mortgage upon the ranch.